Please don't get over excited

[Pinchy]

I'm glad you've brought the Palace game up AGAIN.

You keep harping (no pun intended) on about that game as being the best footballing display this season.

Well I'd argue Saturdays game vs Bristol was as good if not better than then.

So if you want to pick solitary games out, then your argument would now be nul and void.

Robbie,

I'm not being deliberately selective, honest. Palace is the only game they've started together [at least that I've seen - please correct if I'm wrong].

I agree with you about Saturday, indeed I'll go further - it was the best performance of the season. We played good football. That's all I ask as I've made clear on another thread.

All I would add is:

1. There is no reason now [there never was in truth] to return to hoofball.

2. Harper is not yet the player we saw [along with Sidwell] completely and overwhelmingly dominate all other Championship teams and quite a few in the Premiership [he scored 8 goals in a Premiership season - some midfielders will not get so many in their entire career]. If he does regain that form, or close to it, he will be an automatic selection. He was showing signs of getting there before his injury and certainly played very well on the one occasion I saw him alongside Willo. Surely you could cope with leaving Monty out if it improved our team?

 

[Robbie]

Surely you could cope with leaving Monty out if it improved our team?

100% yes.... until such a time arrives on a regular basis, Monty stays for me.

 

[boo radley]

Surely you could cope with leaving Monty out if it improved our team?

100% yes.... until such a time arrives on a regular basis, Monty stays for me.

Well said Robbie

Don't think thats in dispute. The debate seems to be Monty and Willo or Willo and Harper. Me and you have had this debate before. Now on the basis of your paring against Palace and my choice on Saturday, you admited that saturday was better. Ker ching.
No I'm not really going to judge on just two performances. I bet Blackwell wont leave Monty out when Harper is fit though.

 

[Nick Jansky]

I wonder what the other players think of Monty & what he brings to the team? For the Warnock lovers on here, (I'm not one), he obviously rated him very highly. A player that Bassett would also have loved.

Much the same as Alf Ramsey, Matt Busby and some very talented players used to think of what Nobby Stiles brought to a team, I suspect.

It makes me laugh that Bob Booker, a lesser player than Monty, is afforded cult status by Blades fans for doing a similar job in the team to Monty, but not as well and not for as long.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

It makes me laugh that Bob Booker, a lesser player than Monty, is afforded cult status by Blades fans for doing a similar job in the team to Monty, but not as well and not for as long.

Ahh, but Nick; Monty isn't the chirpy cockney type on the radio, TV and press all the time telling everybody how great it is at BDTBL and then sitting with the fans on the kop when he's not playing! It's a popularity contest, not a talent contest!

 

[Nick Jansky]

Ahh, but Nick; Monty isn't the chirpy cockney type on the radio, TV and press all the time telling everybody how great it is at BDTBL and then sitting with the fans on the kop when he's not playing! It's a popularity contest, not a talent contest!

Spot on. All good teams have a Monty, and they are always unsung unless they are a "character". A great example is Trevor Hockey, who played a similar role to Monty's, but had a bushy beard, a headband, and a car with a fur trimmed bonnet. Also Gattuso springs to mind, who admittedly is a better player than Monty and has played at a much higher level, but its a broadly similar role. At our level, which for many years has been mid to upper CCC/lower PL, Monty is as good as you will find.

Managers & team mates tend to love them, people who don't really understand football tend to, at best, not notice them and, at worst, slate them. Its always been this way. But the length of his career to date & the interest shown in him by other clubs over the years tells its own story.

 

[SE1Blade]

Robbie,

I'm not being deliberately selective, honest. Palace is the only game they've started together [at least that I've seen - please correct if I'm wrong].

I agree with you about Saturday, indeed I'll go further - it was the best performance of the season. We played good football. That's all I ask as I've made clear on another thread.

All I would add is:

1. There is no reason now [there never was in truth] to return to hoofball.

2. Harper is not yet the player we saw [along with Sidwell] completely and overwhelmingly dominate all other Championship teams and quite a few in the Premiership [he scored 8 goals in a Premiership season - some midfielders will not get so many in their entire career]. If he does regain that form, or close to it, he will be an automatic selection. He was showing signs of getting there before his injury and certainly played very well on the one occasion I saw him alongside Willo. Surely you could cope with leaving Monty out if it improved our team?

I think Harper is a good player and I'd like us to sign him, but just look at our results after the Wednesday match when Monty got injured, and then how we upturned when he came back into the side. For me, Monty is one of our most important players as he in effect does 2 jobs. Wins the ball and gives it to his own players (simply, so no-one hardly ever notices) and provides an extra shield in front of the defence (not to mention his boundless energy). When Monty was out and we had Harper & Quinn in midfield they both want to get forward and left a massive hole for the opposition to run straight through, which is why we conceded much more, because the defence were under increased pressure.

Therefore you have to have a balance of defensive and attacking minded players in midfield, and if we have Willo, Ward & Yeates then Monty can do the 'dirty' work to give them the freedom to attack.

I know how much you hate Monty, so I realise I'm talking to a (metaphorical) brick wall, but for me, if he's fit Monty MUST start every time. He's a vital cog in our machinery.

 

[Pinchy]

Spot on. All good teams have a Monty, and they are always unsung unless they are a "character". A great example is Trevor Hockey, who played a similar role to Monty's, but had a bushy beard, a headband, and a car with a fur trimmed bonnet. Also Gattuso springs to mind, who admittedly is a better player than Monty and has played at a much higher level, but its a broadly similar role. At our level, which for many years has been mid to upper CCC/lower PL, Monty is as good as you will find.

Managers & team mates tend to love them, people who don't really understand football tend to, at best, not notice them and, at worst, slate them. Its always been this way. But the length of his career to date & the interest shown in him by other clubs over the years tells its own story.

Ah the old 'people who don't understand football' nonsense surfaces again. Just what we needed Nick - arrogance.

I understand it very well mate and have done for a long time. It's called experience.

I saw Hockey many times. He was a far far better player than your hero.

'All good teams have a Monty' is not only patent bollocks - it's a contradiction in terms.

I actually praised his performance on Saturday but you obsessive Ploddyphiles can't leave well alone it seems.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Spot on. All good teams have a Monty, and they are always unsung unless they are a "character". A great example is Trevor Hockey, who played a similar role to Monty's, but had a bushy beard, a headband, and a car with a fur trimmed bonnet. Also Gattuso springs to mind, who admittedly is a better player than Monty and has played at a much higher level, but its a broadly similar role. At our level, which for many years has been mid to upper CCC/lower PL, Monty is as good as you will find.

Managers & team mates tend to love them, people who don't really understand football tend to, at best, not notice them and, at worst, slate them. Its always been this way. But the length of his career to date & the interest shown in him by other clubs over the years tells its own story.

Agreed, in fact over the years I can recount a few in this role at BDTBL who have been ignored or ridiculed. Ray McHale, Ray Lewington even Bruce Rioch for a brief spell all got the treatment. But a Claude Makelele is always needed. That great Brazil side of 1982 with Falcao, Socrates and Zico would've walked that tournament if they'd had Dunga in the side!

 

[Pinchy]

I think Harper is a good player and I'd like us to sign him, but just look at our results after the Wednesday match when Monty got injured, and then how we upturned when he came back into the side. For me, Monty is one of our most important players as he in effect does 2 jobs. Wins the ball and gives it to his own players (simply, so no-one hardly ever notices) and provides an extra shield in front of the defence (not to mention his boundless energy). When Monty was out and we had Harper & Quinn in midfield they both want to get forward and left a massive hole for the opposition to run straight through, which is why we conceded much more, because the defence were under increased pressure.

Therefore you have to have a balance of defensive and attacking minded players in midfield, and if we have Willo, Ward & Yeates then Monty can do the 'dirty' work to give them the freedom to attack.

I know how much you hate Monty, so I realise I'm talking to a (metaphorical) brick wall, but for me, if he's fit Monty MUST start every time. He's a vital cog in our machinery.

I feel I'm the one banging my head against a brick wall.

I don't hate Monty; I love good football.

The suggestion that Monty MUST start every time only goes to confirm my suspicion that some of you are Ploddy fans rather than Blades.

For the avoidance of doubt he gives the ball away far more then he finds a team-mate.

He played well on Saturday. I think that's about six times now. I'm delighted he played well and hope he carries on doing so but 'MUST start every time'? I despair.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Ah the old 'people who don't understand football' nonsense surfaces again. Just what we needed Nick - arrogance.

I understand it very well mate and have done for a long time. It's called experience.

I saw Hockey many times. He was a far far better player than your hero.

'All good teams have a Monty' is not only patent bollocks - it's a contradiction in terms.

I actually praised his performance on Saturday but you obsessive Ploddyphiles can't leave well alone it seems.

I saw Hockey many times as well. He wasn't significantly better than Monty (although we obviously have different opinions on that), but was surrounded by better players with better movement, and had far more options once he had done his job. Which was, basically, to win the ball & give it to somebody who could do something with it.

Why is the statement "all good teams have a Monty" a contradiction in terms, in your opinion?

And how is your assertion that it is "patent bollocks" any less arrogant than my statement? Which I admit to being arrogant, by the way!

 

[Robbie]

For the avoidance of doubt he gives the ball away far more then he finds a team-mate.

Is it time to make up false claims to strengthen your aguement?

 

[Mousey]

For the avoidance of doubt he gives the ball away far more then he finds a team-mate.

At Watford last season I had a bet that Monty would give the ball away less than Naughton.

I forgot the final score exactly but I remember Naughton had three times the number of misplaced passes than Monty.

I think it was something like 9-3 or 12-4.

 

[Pinchy]

I saw Hockey many times as well. He wasn't significantly better than Monty (although we obviously have different opinions on that), but was surrounded by better players with better movement, and had far more options once he had done his job. Which was, basically, to win the ball & give it to somebody who could do something with it.

Why is the statement "all good teams have a Monty" a contradiction in terms, in your opinion?

And how is your assertion that it is "patent bollocks" any less arrogant than my statement? Which I admit to being arrogant, by the way!

Nick,

I often express firm views, sometimes in quite acerbic terms. Many, such as Shoreham View to name but one, answer in similar terms. I suspect you will be the same and that's great. I think seeking to undermine someone else's view, however strongly you disagree, by asserting a sort of superior understanding is a little different and it happens a bit too often for my liking. It is to your credit that you seem to accept that. I would not bristle at all at 'patent bollocks' or similar. It's just a succint and emphatic expression of disagreement.

As to Monty, the contradiction lies in the notion that all good teams would want a poor player! I'm genuinely disappointed to be having this discussion on a weekend when he played well and I have said so without any reluctance or misgivings on more than one thread. I can't help but react though when people, not necessarily yourself, make comparisons with Gattuso, Makekele et al.

Most great teams have a ball-winner e.g. Souness, Keane, Vieira, Gemmill, Bremner etc [though I must add the greatest team of all time did not] but the key distinction is they could all play as well. You simply can't carry one of two central midfielders making no creative contribution whatsoever. Your playmaker has to dig in a bit and your ball-winner has to be able to contribute to the creative effort, Bremner and Giles (much though I hate that cheating Leeds team and its corrupt manager) being an obvious example.

I have to say again that I don't accept Monty is actually a ball-winner in any event in the sense of procuring and preserving clean positive possession of the ball.

I know Monty will play tomorrow. I genuinely hope he has a great game and scores that 30 yarder we are all waiting for.

 

[boo radley]

Nick,

I often express firm views, sometimes in quite acerbic terms. Many, such as Shoreham View to name but one, answer in similar terms. I suspect you will be the same and that's great. I think seeking to undermine someone else's view, however strongly you disagree, by asserting a sort of superior understanding is a little different and it happens a bit too often for my liking. It is to your credit that you seem to accept that. I would not bristle at all at 'patent bollocks' or similar. It's just a succint and emphatic expression of disagreement.

Not patronising at all that and a little snobbish. You are quite aware that not all people on here are as articulate as you (me included) but you decide to express yourself in no doubt correct terms but could you not loosen up a bit.
You decide to make up your own words of description and expect people to go with you (I'll again assume Harper for Ploddyphile). So if i make up a desciptive word for you you wouldn't mind?
why make people decipher your posts is it through asserting some sort of supperior understanding?

 

[Nick Jansky]

Nick,

I often express firm views, sometimes in quite acerbic terms. Many, such as Shoreham View to name but one, answer in similar terms. I suspect you will be the same and that's great. I think seeking to undermine someone else's view, however strongly you disagree, by asserting a sort of superior understanding is a little different and it happens a bit too often for my liking. It is to your credit that you seem to accept that. I would not bristle at all at 'patent bollocks' or similar. It's just a succint and emphatic expression of disagreement.

As to Monty, the contradiction lies in the notion that all good teams would want a poor player! I'm genuinely disappointed to be having this discussion on a weekend when he played well and I have said so without any reluctance or misgivings on more than one thread. I can't help but react though when people, not necessarily yourself, make comparisons with Gattuso, Makekele et al.

Most great teams have a ball-winner e.g. Souness, Keane, Vieira, Gemmill, Bremner etc [though I must add the greatest team of all time did not] but the key distinction is they could all play as well. You simply can't carry one of two central midfielders making no creative contribution whatsoever. Your playmaker has to dig in a bit and your ball-winner has to be able to contribute to the creative effort, Bremner and Giles (much though I hate that cheating Leeds team and its corrupt manager) being an obvious example.

I have to say again that I don't accept Monty is actually a ball-winner in any event in the sense of procuring and preserving clean positive possession of the ball.

I know Monty will play tomorrow. I genuinely hope he has a great game and scores that 30 yarder we are all waiting for.

We will have to differ in our opinions of Monty's capabilities as a footballer. But you clearly know your football Pinchy, and I respect your opinion.

I wasn't in the least offended or upset by your "patent bollocks" statement, was just turning it back on you to make a point!

I look forward to engaging in robust debate with you in the future! Although from reading your posts I suspect that we will agree on quite a lot too. After all, we are both of a vintage that remembers life under John Harris and the pride we could take in being generally recognised, along with Everton and Spurs, as a fine footballing team.

Anyhow, pleased to make your acquaintance!

 

[Pinchy]

Boo,

I'll try, just for you:hug:

There is room for all styles, I agree, except for that dreadful and discourteous text stuff.

I actually like you despite our disagreements. You have admirable tenacity, commitment and loyalty.

Hang on a minute. You couldn't be..........

 

[Grecian2000]

I saw Hockey many times as well. He wasn't significantly better than Monty (although we obviously have different opinions on that), but was surrounded by better players with better movement, and had far more options once he had done his job.

I would have to vehemently argue with that.

He was surrounded by better players but he could also pass the ball (not just the 5 yarders of legend) and with BOTH feet. That in itself makes him twice the player Monty is.

 

[AlienWoodward]

We will have to differ in our opinions of Monty's capabilities as a footballer. But you clearly know your football Pinchy, and I respect your opinion.

I wasn't in the least offended or upset by your "patent bollocks" statement, was just turning it back on you to make a point!

I look forward to engaging in robust debate with you in the future! Although from reading your posts I suspect that we will agree on quite a lot too. After all, we are both of a vintage that remembers life under John Harris and the pride we could take in being generally recognised, along with Everton and Spurs, as a fine footballing team.

Anyhow, pleased to make your acquaintance!

I think you are mistaken on Pinchy.
He is only 15,he swallowed a dictionary at birth and during puberty he developed a crush on Monty and now tries to push this to one side by his constant criticsm of him. He is 4-8" tall and having ginger hair hates the fact that Stephen Quinn looks down on him.
He has also put kisses on text messages he sent me.
One of the above sentences is true .... I'll let you decide which

 

[boo radley]

Boo,

I'll try, just for you:hug:

There is room for all styles, I agree, except for that dreadful and discourteous text stuff.
I actually like you despite our disagreements. You have admirable tenacity, commitment and loyalty.

Hang on a minute. You couldn't be..........

See you have totally misread me from day one. I Can't stand Text message abbreviation, yet may occasionally use the odd one or two. I use predictive texting on my phone and try to construct sentences in a reasonable manner. Yet, I shall also use a longer sentence instead of a single word so that others can understand where I am coming from. If it is true, like Alien said, you have swallowed a dictionary, then occasionally throw it back up and use longer sentences.

PS. We all believe we know a little about football on here, and I happen to think Monty adds to the team, and does not take away.

 

[Ollessendro]

Cus some thing has made Blackie change his ways

maybe it was my letter!!!???

 

[Ollessendro]

I've only just started looking at this thread and I've just stopped reading after the 3rd page as I'm dsigusted with some of the stick, insults and general verbal hammering that Micalijo is getting. Time and time again we see planks come on here and start insulting people because they don't agree with their opinions. It's boring and moronic.

Micalijo voices his opinions on here because it's a forum. A forum is a place where people voice there opinions. His opinions mighrt be boring, triesome and not very intelligent to you, but you are supposed to respect them. If you don't like them shoot them down (constructively or at least without insulting) or just ignore them.

I find all this name calling abosultely pathetic. Insults raning from telling someone to fuck off and saying you'll shag their wife to implying they are a manic depressive is just out of order. To be honest the culprits just look like planks and by calling someone a twat, wanker, neanderthal etc only present themselves as one. But this is not the point. The point is that people shouldn't be subjected to personal abuse.

I actually think that Micalijo had quite a good point. Based on the evidence we should not be getting carried away. We beat a poor team in a one off exceptional performance. Does anyone remember getting excited when we convingly beat Palace at home? People started getting excited abut the football we played, Williamson and Harper in the middle of the park etc, only for us to be shit and negative in the next game at QPR!?

People may think that I'm just sticking up for Micalijo because he is a fellow 'knocker' but this is not the case. I would do the same for a so called 'clapper'. The lack of respect for peoples opinions is awful. To be honest, I find a lot of Micalijo's threads and posts a little monotenous. If I want to debate I do so, but sometimes I ignore it because I think it doesn't warrant a reply. I am not getting all high and mighty, because many posters do the same. It's just a few spoiling it for anyone else. I can be controversial and from tiume to time upset people with my outspoke views, but i always try to (attempt to) tear people's arguments up in a constructive manner and avoid being personal and insultive.

 

[oldblade]

I feel I'm the one banging my head against a brick wall.

I don't hate Monty; I love good football.

The suggestion that Monty MUST start every time only goes to confirm my suspicion that some of you are Ploddy fans rather than Blades.

For the avoidance of doubt he gives the ball away far more then he finds a team-mate.

He played well on Saturday. I think that's about six times now. I'm delighted he played well and hope he carries on doing so but 'MUST start every time'? I despair.

Perhaps he played well for the same reason that all the other team members played well - the team selection and tactics were good and the side was balanced. When Montgomery got the ball he always had an outlet. Consequently, he did not give the ball away. In many other matches this season the side has been all over the place and he has not had an outlet. Therefore he has had to try and play much more difficult passes making it far more likely that he will give possession away.

 

[judge]

I've only just started looking at this thread and I've just stopped reading after the 3rd page as I'm dsigusted with some of the stick, insults and general verbal hammering that Micalijo is getting. Time and time again we see planks come on here and start insulting people because they don't agree with their opinions. It's boring and moronic.

Micalijo voices his opinions on here because it's a forum. A forum is a place where people voice there opinions. His opinions mighrt be boring, triesome and not very intelligent to you, but you are supposed to respect them. If you don't like them shoot them down (constructively or at least without insulting) or just ignore them.

I find all this name calling abosultely pathetic. Insults raning from telling someone to fuck off and saying you'll shag their wife to implying they are a manic depressive is just out of order. To be honest the culprits just look like planks and by calling someone a twat, wanker, neanderthal etc only present themselves as one. But this is not the point. The point is that people shouldn't be subjected to personal abuse.

I actually think that Micalijo had quite a good point. Based on the evidence we should not be getting carried away. We beat a poor team in a one off exceptional performance. Does anyone remember getting excited when we convingly beat Palace at home? People started getting excited abut the football we played, Williamson and Harper in the middle of the park etc, only for us to be shit and negative in the next game at QPR!?

People may think that I'm just sticking up for Micalijo because he is a fellow 'knocker' but this is not the case. I would do the same for a so called 'clapper'. The lack of respect for peoples opinions is awful. To be honest, I find a lot of Micalijo's threads and posts a little monotenous. If I want to debate I do so, but sometimes I ignore it because I think it doesn't warrant a reply. I am not getting all high and mighty, because many posters do the same. It's just a few spoiling it for anyone else. I can be controversial and from tiume to time upset people with my outspoke views, but i always try to (attempt to) tear people's arguments up in a constructive manner and avoid being personal and insultive.

well thank god you stepped in with your balanced view to sort things out

 

[Ollessendro]

well thank god you stepped in with your balanced view to sort things out

You are very welcome Albert!?

 

[JimJones]

The one game that will forever stick with me with regards to Monty was the play-off semi final at The Lane last year. I've never been a fan of Monty although I do appreciate what he brings to the game but my word, he made me proud to be a Blade that night. He was everywhere, chasing every ball and was even spraying 30-yard passes to the wings, outside of the foot and everything!

However, whilst appreciating his work-rate and his defensive capabilities, in my opinion I regard his attacking and technical ability to be so limited that this outweighs his credentials for a place in the first team.

Is it REALLY too much to ask for a defensive minded midfielder who can also pass a ball and at least have an effort on goal that doesn't collectively send the Kop into fits of laughter?

UTB!

 

[shorehamview]

I often express firm views, sometimes in quite acerbic terms. Many, such as Shoreham View to name but one, answer in similar terms.

That's just fish dicks.


Actually, it's not. I will freely admit to speaking/typing shite that quite often is taken out of context, but that's it. I can be fairly grown-up too. I do try to lighten the mood on occasion, but also try to put forward a reasoned argument. I'd rather have discussions with people like Pinchy who make a good in favour of their point of view than those who can only see the negative side. I might not agree with it, but a balanced view like Pinchy's has surely got to be better than the real doom merchants who only post when things are going badly.

We do disagree about Monty, who is in fact the Yorkshire Zidane, only a bit horse-faced, but at least we can have a reasonable discussion. He seems one of the new influx of members who would fit in at the Lion pre-match with the rest of us dribblers quite well, unlike one or two fun-sponges who only stick their heads above the parapet after a loss or other bad news.

 

[Ollessendro]

Micalijo gets berated for telliong fans not to get carried away. First game after our great performance we blow it. What's the stats at the moment, 1 shot on target? Never been in the game, never looked like scoring.

He was quite right to point out that Bristol were poor and our honey moon might soon be over. But oh no no, he's miserable, he's a sad twat and la de da. What do you have to say now Hippy and Judge? Happy with that performance? We'll bounce back in the next game? One game after the mighty win we fall flat on our faces. Tougher opposition and we are clueless of how to break them down. But of course it was ridiculous of Micalijo to point out that beating Bristol, 1 goal in 5 not won in their last 9 games, might not be a true signal of how we are progressing.

 

[davidpinder]

Couldn't have put it better myself

 

[davidpinder]

Micalijo gets berated for telliong fans not to get carried away. First game after our great performance we blow it. What's the stats at the moment, 1 shot on target? Never been in the game, never looked like scoring.

He was quite right to point out that Bristol were poor and our honey moon might soon be over. But oh no no, he's miserable, he's a sad twat and la de da. What do you have to say now Hippy and Judge? Happy with that performance? We'll bounce back in the next game? One game after the mighty win we fall flat on our faces. Tougher opposition and we are clueless of how to break them down. But of course it was ridiculous of Micalijo to point out that beating Bristol, 1 goal in 5 not won in their last 9 games, might not be a true signal of how we are progressing.

Couldn't have put it better myself